Taunton, Massachusetts
All talks, written and delivered by Historical
Society staff, are designed to be informative and enjoyable.
The length and content can be adapted to
fit the requirements of various groups and/or locations.
All are Power Point presentations unless
stated otherwise.
We can provide projector, projector table
and laptop. We prefer to use the organization’s lectern and screen.
Speaker’s Fee: Please contact the Society
for more information at 508-822-1622, or e-mail OldColony@oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org.
This good introduction to the history of
Taunton features historic images from the Society’s collection, reflecting
Taunton’s development over time. The
talk is interactive, with the speaker inviting the audience to name landmarks,
and engaging in a discussion of social and economic factors, along with the
rationale behind historic preservation.
The program can be adapted for middle or high school students. (approximately 30 minutes)
An introduction to the research collections
available to us at the Old Colony Historical Society and examples of where
family history research can lead is presented by the Society’s Archivist and
Library Manager. The talk can be adapted
for specific types of research, such as using military records, researching
particular ethnic backgrounds, and clues on how to break through that stone
wall in your family search. (approximately 45 minutes)
The inscriptions on this boulder in the
Taunton River have at times been attributed to the Phoenicians, Vikings,
Portuguese, and American Indians. This illustrated talk discusses the theories
and personalities that have ebbed around this mysterious rock for generations. (approximately 40 minutes)
The illustrated talk offers a stroll along
Taunton’s Main Street during the mid to late 19th century. This
presentation showcases both downtown businesses and the buildings in which they
were located. (approximately
35 minutes)
The show explains through pictures the
history of Taunton Green from both cultural and military perspectives, and then
incorporates more modern memories of the Green collected from area
residents. (approximately
45 minutes)
The
illustrated talk shows the methods of harvesting, storing and sale of ice, a
vital industry in pre-refrigerator days. The emphasis is on the business in
general, with some local Taunton area firms receiving mention. (approximately 35
minutes)
With the moniker “Stove City” Taunton was
home to many manufacturers of this essential household item. Some firms, such as the famous Glenwood Range
Company, also took the cast iron stove design to artistic heights. This slide lecture chronicles the evolution
of this very important area industry and its lasting influence on the
city. (approximately
40 minutes)
The talk explores the life and work of
Taunton industrialist William Mason, manufacturer of railroad locomotives and
textile spinning looms, as well as Springfield rifles for the Civil War. He is perhaps the best example of how
creativity built Taunton’s 19th century economy. (approximately 30
minutes)
The industry that gave Taunton the nickname
“Silver City” and the history of Taunton’s famous Reed & Barton
Silversmiths is shown within the context of historical trends of the day.
Styles, local and national history, popular trends and decorative arts issues
are emphasized. (approximately
40 minutes)
Through illustrations, artistic activity in
the Taunton area is surveyed from the earliest known paintings through 1900.
Discoveries of information about both the artists and those who patronized the
arts is discussed.
(approximately 45 minutes)
Follow Taunton’s children through their
days of school, leisure time activities and even wage labor. Learn how the
lives of rural children and immigrants differed from the lives of native city
residents. This illustrated talk can be
adapted for school-age children. (approximately 45 minutes for adults; approximately 25
minutes for children)
For generations, Taunton area children have
been taught about the town’s “founding mother;” how this noblewoman left her
native England for the wilderness of the New World in 1637, and about how she
bought the land called Taunton from the Native Americans for a peck of beans
and a jackknife. We are justifiably
proud of our local heroine, but are we proud of her for the right reasons? Are we getting as accurate a view as we can
of this 17th century person?
This illustrated talk seeks to answer these questions and show how
Mistress Pole’s legacy surrounds Tauntonians even today. (approximately
40 minutes)
This talk describes the origins of
Taunton’s own Liberty & Union Flag, raised on Taunton Green on October 21,
1774. Many consider it to be the first
patriotic flag in America. This is not
an illustrated lecture. (approximately 40 minutes)
Written for 3rd-grade
students, this illustrated talk introduces viewers to the important role
Taunton played in the American Revolution.
The story behind Taunton’s own Liberty and Union flag is told. Showing artifacts from the Historical Society’s
collections, the talk can either be given in schools or as an introduction
before a tour in the museum. (approximately 10 minutes)
Scrap
drives, air raid drills, the Taunton Serviceman’s Club, and Victory gardens
were all a part of city life during the war. This pictorial program captures
the heroic effort made by the citizens of Taunton and surrounding towns to
support an Allied victory between 1941 and 1945. Numerous local scenes
illustrate home life, volunteering, industrial mobilization, and Camp Myles
Standish. (approximately
40 minutes)
16. Toby Gilmore and Bristol County’s
African-American Minutemen
Toby Gilmore of Raynham was a slave who
gained his freedom by joining the Continental Army. Through some amazing survivals of artifacts,
family stories, and documents, the OCHS was able to piece together the true
story of this Revolutionary War hero.
His life after the war is revealed through new additions to our
archives, and his role in keeping the Revolutionary spirit alive is
celebrated. The lives of several of his
compatriots are touched upon, along with methods for research into military
history. (approximately
45 minutes)
17. “Daring, Dauntless and Defiant:” Richard De Wert and the Korean War
The
“Forgotten War” and its impact on the people of the Taunton region is remembered in this illustrated presentation. Naval Corpsman De Wert was a recipient of the
highest military honor our nation can bestow, the Medal of Honor. The medal itself is on display in the
Society’s Military History Room and many lasting monuments to Richard De Wert
and Korean War soldiers remain. This
presentation tells Corpsman De Wert’s story and how
it was pieced together through family papers and genealogical research. (approximately 45 minutes)
This illustrated program discusses the rise
of the Colonial Revival movement in decorative arts and architecture, with a
focus on early 20th century preservation activity. The 1792 Nightingale-Brown House in
Providence serves as a case study. (approximately 30 minutes)
Viewers will be escorted through a brief
review of furniture in America, from the 17th century through the
mid-19th century. Special
emphasis is given to the Society’s Southeastern New England collections. When given at the Society, the lecture
includes demonstrations of the actual pieces.
(approximately 45 minutes)
Nationally renowned architect Richard
Upjohn designed the Bristol Academy building in 1852, now the headquarters of
the Old Colony Historical Society. He
also designed over a dozen other projects in the Taunton area. The pictorial program reviews Upjohn’s
background and surveys the handsome architectural legacy he left here. (approximately 30
minutes)
21. The
Life of a Building: Historic Preservation at the Bristol Academy
The “life story” of our own historical
society building is told through this Power Point presentation. The talk draws from varied sources such as
historic photographs, archival drawings, original documents, and the physical
evidence left in the building itself to reveal what people in the past wanted
to say to people in the future via architecture. (approximately 45
minutes)
22. Keep
the Character in Your Old House
Concentrating on practical tips for
history-minded homeowners, this illustrated talk shows how to research a house
using all available resources.
Uncovering clues left by physical evidence
(by paint analysis, for example) or clues left through public and private
records can teach much about previous inhabitants and their tastes. Identifying character-defining features of a
house and how to save or recover them is a theme throughout, with a survey of
American architectural styles along the way.
(approximately 45 minutes)
This documentary produced and directed by
Susan McGrath follows the life and times of the oldest continuously-operated
airport in Massachusetts, the Taunton Municipal Airport - King Field. The narrated film follows the King family
from green fields to blue skies, from 1919 through 1960 and beyond. The DVD is also available for sale. (approximately 80
minutes)
24. The Civil War Comes to Norton
A live dramatic reading of five letters by
two women of the Wrigley family is accompanied by a pictorial presentation to
bring the pivotal year of 1864 to life for today’s participants. The context for each letter is explained,
along with encouragement for questions and impressions following each
reading. (approximately
45 minutes)
Through archival pictures, view the famous
Taunton Green decorated in celebration of the holiday season, from the 1920s
through the present. Learn about the origins of this local tradition, begun in
1914, and the stories behind these creative and festive displays. (approximately 30
minutes)
This pictorial presentation looks into
cherished holiday traditions and how they were celebrated in the past in our
region, such as hanging stockings by the chimney, sending greeting cards, and
baking Christmas puddings. Local
Christmas cards and archival photographs make for a sparkling show. (approximately 30 minutes)